It turns out trying to score on a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in Magic practices for 3 1/2 seasons made a scorer out of Gortat as well.

Without Dwight Howard guarding him, Gortat is finding scoring easier in Phoenix. He also has found a rhythm to the pick and roll and the Suns' pace. In addition to shoring up lane protection, post defense and rebounding, Gortat set career scoring highs in three consecutive games, averaging 20.0 points and 11.7 rebounds with 70 percent shooting.

Gortat arrived with a reputation as a strong finisher with good hands, but his instincts for when to roll, where passes would come and finishing shots were absent - he never averaged more than 16 minutes in his Orlando years. Even as foul trouble limited his first-half chances, Gortat posted 25 points in Sunday's win against New Orleans, and most of that came from the two-man game.

"It's just a great feeling to play with him (Steve Nash), and I understand him perfectly and I think we're doing a tremendous job together," Gortat said.

Gortat is scoring off more than just rolls, although he had memorable ones Sunday with an alley-oop before halftime and a slam on Quincy Pondexter in the third quarter. Gortat scored 21 in the second half by also showing good hands to bail out Nash on a play, drawing fouls, hitting short jumpers, exposing a mismatch inside, cutting into open area for a chance and outrunning everyone in transition for a layup. When he is not scoring, he is a solid screener and passer.

"The last game (vs. Boston) took a lot of energy from my body," Gortat said. "I was kind of tired (Sunday) morning. I tried to push myself. I had a lack of focus in the first couple of minutes when I walked in the game. I was mad at myself that I screwed up. I said, 'All right, you just got to stay in the game.' "

Gortat has five double-doubles in the past seven games after previously having six in his career.

"We need him to be that kind of guy who is going to roll hard and attack the rim," forward Grant Hill said. "You see his confidence growing and you see the confidence that Steve and the other guys have in him."

Sudden impact

The Suns' rotation took on a new look this weekend with Mickael Pietrus' return to it and Zabian Dowdell's addition with Goran Dragic out.

Dowdell, a 26-year-old rookie, had a strong showing in the first significant minutes of his career, getting four points and four assists in 15 minutes with several other nice drive-and-dish plays going unrewarded by teammates.

"It's hard to put into words, to get out there and make a couple plays and the guys were rooting for me," Dowdell said. "The biggest thing is I'm a confident guy, so I wasn't out there hesitating or second-guessing myself. If guys see you aren't confident, they'll expose that."

Pietrus has played 42 minutes in the past two games after not playing in five of the previous eight games. It enabled Hill to cut back to 48 minutes in those two games.

"What I can bring for the team is a winning attitude," Pietrus said. "I already have it. I'm a proven winner.

"What I can bring is being me - a leader defensively and a leader on the floor to bring the intensity up."